A few of things to ask yourself before you adopt…

1. Do you or a family member have allergies to pets, specifically cats?
If the answer is yes, a cat or dog might not be a suitable fit for your family. If you don’t know, it is best to find out before taking a new pet home.

2. Do you rent or own your home? If you rent, does your landlord allow pets?
Homeowners: Homeowners are required to show proof of homeownership either through a mortgage statement or property tax statement. The name and address on either statement must match the name and address on your driver’s license or state issued ID. If the address on both documents does not match, we will also need to see the name and address on a recent utility bill that has information that matches the mortgage statement or property tax statement.

Renters: Renters are required to show proof that landlord allows pets in the home via rental/lease agreement. If the rental/lease agreement states no pets are allowed in the home or if it does not specify whether or not pets are allowed in the home, shelter staff will require a letter of approval from the landlord. In the letter of approval, the landlord must state their name, phone number, that they are giving you (the renter) permission to bring a pet into the home at the address that you live at. They must also state whether or not there are any breed or size restrictions. For rental/lease agreements, if the agreement states that a pet deposit must be paid before the pet goes home, shelter staff will need to see a receipt stating that the deposit has been paid.

To be approved for adoption, pictures of homeowner documents, renter documents and driver’s license/state issued ID must be emailed to us at ivhumanesociety@gmail.com prior to meet and greet. Please feel free to cover or block out any information that does not pertain to the name and address on your documents. Once the required documents have been received and reviewed by a staff member, you will be contacted either via phone or email to let you know how to proceed.

3. Do you currently have other pets? (for dogs and puppies only)
If yes, AWESOME! We will require a meet and greet with your current pet and the dog or puppy that you are interested in adopting. We want to make sure that everyone gets along before the move-in.

We understand that this might seem like a lengthy process, but this protocol is in place to ensure that the adoption is a permanent solution for the animal, and that the adoption process is a positive experience for both the animals and adopters.